Bear Shooting in Grand Teton May Halt Elk Reduction Hunt

The shooting of a grizzly bear in Grand Teton National Park by hunters participating in a special elk reduction hunt has sparked calls from opponents to end the hunt.

From this story in the Jackson Hole News and Guide: A hunter who was yards away when others killed a grizzly in Grand Teton National Park on Thanksgiving Day described a volley of shots and then shocked men retreating from the woods. Charles Peet, of Jackson, said Monday that he was hunting “75 to 100 yards” from where 48-year-old David Trembly, of Dubois, and Trembly’s 20- and 17-year-old sons gunned down the adult male bear….Park officials investigating the incident haven’t said whether the three hunters deployed bear spray before the shooting. In a statement, park officials said the bear reportedly charged the hunters, who were licensed to shoot elk as part of the park’s “elk reduction program.”

According to the story, the shooting has led critics to call for park officials to shut down the hunt as well as an online petition. Thoughts?